Denmark Economy 2026: GDP, Growth Rate & World Ranking

Denmark has the 37th-largest nominal GDP of the 189 economies SOTW covers for 2026: $499.35 billion (IMF projection). It sits narrowly behind the Philippines ($501.69 billion) and ahead of South Africa ($489.08 billion). The IMF projects real GDP growth of 3.7% and inflation of 1.8% for 2026. Denmark's population was 6.0 million in 2025.

Nominal GDP: $499.35B; Reference year 2026 (IMF projection); current US dollars; International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook); Series and history →; Unrounded value
499354000000 current US dollars
Real GDP growth: 3.7%; Reference year 2026 (IMF projection); annual percent change in real GDP; International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook); Series and history →; Unrounded value
3.7 annual percent change in real GDP
Inflation (annual-average CPI): 1.8%; Reference year 2026 (IMF projection); annual percent change in average consumer prices; International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook); Series and history →; Unrounded value
1.8 annual percent change in average consumer prices
Unemployment: 3.0%; Reference year 2026 (IMF projection); percent of labor force; International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook); Series and history →; Unrounded value
3 percent of labor force
GDP per person: $82,714; Reference year 2026 (IMF projection); current US dollars per person; International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook); Series and history →; Unrounded value
82713.541 current US dollars per person
Population: 6.0M; Reference year 2025; people; World Bank (World Development Indicators); Series and history →; Unrounded value
6009169 people
General government gross debt: 26.4%; Reference year 2026 (IMF projection); percent of GDP; International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook); Series and history →; Unrounded value
26.4 percent of GDP
Life expectancy at birth: 82.3 years; Reference year 2024; years; World Bank (World Development Indicators); Series and history →; Unrounded value
82.2536585365854 years

IMF projection: a forecast from the IMF World Economic Outlook, revised at each release, not a measured value.

About these figures

Each figure keeps its own year, unit and source, shown on its card. Missing values are not zero: a card that says Not reported has no figure for this economy.

IMF figures for the current year and later are projections from the World Economic Outlook and change with each edition. Earlier IMF years can still be estimates. Some economies report on a fiscal year rather than a calendar year, and the source data do not record each country-specific fiscal-year mapping, so the same year label may not cover the same twelve months everywhere.

The GDP rank compares economies with a positive IMF figure for the same year; older figures and regional aggregates are not ranked. Nominal GDP is in US dollars at market exchange rates. GDP per person is output per person, not a typical income. General government gross debt covers every level of government, so it is broader than central-government debt.

Population follows the World Bank's midyear-estimate definition. Open a card's Unrounded value for the full figure, or its series link for the history.

Denmark Economic Overview

Denmark is a small Nordic economy of 6.0 million people in 2025 that punches extraordinarily above its weight. It is home to Novo Nordisk, maker of Ozempic and Wegovy and for a time Europe's most valuable company, which alone has reshaped Denmark's economic statistics, contributing an outsized share of GDP growth, exports, and tax revenue. Beyond pharma, Denmark hosts Maersk (world's second-largest container shipping company), Vestas (global wind turbine leader), Carlsberg, LEGO, and Ørsted (world's largest offshore wind developer).

Denmark's "flexicurity" labor model is studied worldwide: it combines easy hiring and firing (flexibility for employers), generous unemployment benefits (security for workers), and active labor market policies (retraining programs). The result is low structural unemployment and high labor mobility. Denmark consistently ranks #1 or #2 globally in low corruption, happiness indices, and social trust.

GDP per capita at $82,714 in 2026 (IMF projection) is among the world's highest. Denmark is a global leader in renewable energy — wind power generates over 50% of electricity, and the country aims for climate neutrality by 2050. Denmark is an EU member but retains its own currency (krone, pegged to the euro). Challenges include high taxes (the world's highest as a share of GDP), housing costs in Copenhagen, and dependence on Novo Nordisk for GDP growth.

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Questions about Denmark's figures

What is Denmark's nominal GDP for 2026?

Denmark's nominal GDP is $499.35B (current US dollars; reference year 2026, an IMF projection). Source: International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook). Rank 37 among 189 covered IMF economies for reference year 2026.

What is Denmark's real GDP growth for 2026?

Denmark's real GDP growth is 3.7% (annual percent change in real GDP; reference year 2026, an IMF projection). Source: International Monetary Fund (World Economic Outlook).

What is Denmark's population for 2025?

Denmark's population is 6.0M (people; reference year 2025). Source: World Bank (World Development Indicators). The World Bank definition describes midyear population estimates.

What is Denmark's life expectancy at birth for 2024?

Denmark's life expectancy at birth is 82.3 years (years; reference year 2024). Source: World Bank (World Development Indicators).